Travel Tips for Central Asia

Communicating

As you probably already know, Central Asia isn't exactly a well-known itinerary. As a region that was under the umbrella of the USSR for the better half of the last century, the tourism industry is still developing. That said, English is a language that may or may not get you far. Russian however, as the language of the former Soviet Union is pretty much on par with the national language of the country, with most city and town dwellers speaking Russian as a native language. Therefore I recommend learning at least the basics of Russian and definitely memorising the Cyrillic alphabet.

Getting around:

The public transport system varies. In major cities of Kazakhstan, there will be modern buses available (as well as a metro in Almaty). In Kyrgyzstan, there are also share taxis or "marshrutkas" as they are known in Russian. The name is somewhat of a misnomer as you don't actually choose your destination, rather the shared taxi travels along a preset route and if your destination happens to be somewhere amongst the many stops on the route then you can get off there. A set fare is paid to the driver (possibly the cheapest thing you can pay for) upon entering or departing. Just don't expect comfort, or in many cases, a well-maintained vehicle as many of these minivans are in need of some TLC. AC is non-existent, as is personal space.

It is all part of the adventure, however, and you'll be on your way to feeling like a Kazakh or Kyrgyz local in no time at all. Most of the time the marshrutkas are safe. However at night time, if you are staying in a town, a poorer neighbourhood, or Bishkek, avoid the marshrutkas and take a taxi. Unless you're feeling super confident, have impeccable Russian, or look like a local.

Marshrutka

There are two different types of marshrutkas: local and long-distance. The main difference is that the long-distance vans don't depart until they are filled up. Every seat needs to be filled so if you are the only passenger sitting in the van, don't expect it to leave any time soon. The longest I waited was almost two hours this one time. Apparently wait times can take several hours if the destination is relatively obscure or not that common. The local minivans, on the other hand, travel their routes regardless of how many passengers are on board.

Travel Guide

For a more comprehensive look at Central Asia and what to consider, refer to my travel guides below:

• Kazakhstan Travel Guide

• Kyrgyzstan Travel Guide